"Cinema is the evening class for discriminating adults."--Ousmane Sembene

Friday, November 17, 2006

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM SUBMISSIONS

Evening Class contributing writer Michael Hawley has gathered together the final list of the films submitted for Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. This has been of major interest to both of us as we will be attending January's Palm Springs Film Festival where so many of these foreign entries will be screened. Input would be welcome on which films I absolutely shouldn't miss.

In addition to the above, Michael Hawley has informed me, Finland submitted Aki Kaurismaki's Lights in the Dusk, which the director subsequently indicated he wanted to withdraw from the competition. Foreign Language committee chair Mark Johnson has initiated a dialogue with Kaurismaki in an effort to persuade him to reverse that decision.

12 comments:

That's great that you both will be attending Palm Springs! I always notice a pile of intriguing looking films that play there but never make it here. One year I'd like to go myself- not this one though.

I have no informed input on which films on this list are must-sees, as I've seen none of the films that you haven't seen yourself. I always am drawn to films from Japan, Korea and Thailand though. And of course I can't wait to see the Black Book.

Thanks for the comments and recommendations, folks! Someone on the WELL was saying that he felt the Palm Springs Film Festival was missable because so many of the films screened there show up at our SF International; but, the inverse holds true as well. So many of them do NOT show up at the SF International. And besides, why wait until then? I, too, am looking forward to THE BLACK BOOK.

Marina, I'll be seeilng THE LIVES OF OTHERS at a press screening in early December. I've heard nothing but good things about it and am really looking forward to that opportunity. Don't know about THE KING AND THE CLOWN and ALICE; but sincerely appreciate your heads up.

Paul, I saw TEN CANOES at the Toronto International. If you click on the title, it will take you to my review. We concur on the film's entertainment value. WATER I've also seen and had the great fortune to interview Deepa Mehta. I've missed THE BLOSSOMING OF MAXIMO OLIVEROS twice now so I guess should make some kind of effort to see it in Palm Springs.

Of your MIFF list, I enjoyed GABRIELLE when it was at our SF International. Missed CLIMATES in Toronto but anticipate seeing it someday. The others I'm not familiar with so thanks for bringing them to my attention.

Nice list - I can report from Scandinavia that Norway's contribution "Reprise" by Joachim Trier, is a stunning and original film that is one of the most engaging and true portraits of friendship that I've seen. It received a major award in both Karlovy Vary and Toronto. There's some english language reviews around, I think Twitch had a very positive write-up on it back around TIFF.

Hey, it's wonderful to finally see this list! Here, in Bulgaria, people are talking about our firtst submission in so many years and here it is... It's wierd. :)

Anyway, I must defend "Monkeys in the winter" and genuinely recommend it. First, it's the debute film of one of our best directors' daughter - Milena Andonova and Metodi Andonov (father), best known for the classic Bulgarian film "The Goat Horn" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068814/). Also, the screenwriter, Maria Stankova is one of our current most active in film and theatre writers. So, the film is entirely the result of something that has been kept closed for years and now with the revival of Bulgarian culture - freed and fed with life. This life comes from Diana Dobreva - a theatre director and actress, an experimenter, a person of great knowledge and energy and also, a part of the most daring experimental theatre here today - Theater-laboratory 'Sfumato' (http://www.sfumato.info/index.php). The film, together with our other pride 'Christmas Tree Upside Down'(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0860474/), won awards at Karlovy Vari and are practically, considered the Jesus Christ of our "slightly-dead" cinema.

Now, a bit about the film itself. I only had the chance to see it last night (at a festival, of course. Bulgarian films are almost never screened in regular screenings) and still can't shake myself off this gloomily optimistic feeling that could be very well sensed through the camera (it is very specifically and unusually coloured; the cinematographer is also the one of 'Christmas Tree Upside Down' - Rali Raltschev - and probably because of that these two films look very much alike). The plot is unfolded in three stories of three successive generations; three stories that seem to go their own ways, but end up the same.Trivia!: The actress who plays Dona - Bonka Ilieva-Boni - is not an actress but a great Bulgarian gipsy singer with a wonderful voice; She's easily recogniseable since she sings almost all the time. :) It is also interesting to note that both "Monkeys" and "Christmas Tree" are films, composed of a number of stories that interweave in the end. Personally, I prefer "Monkeys" and am glad that they submitted it. Hopefully, many people will have the chance to see it. Throughout the film, a documentary is playing on the characters' TV sets, which noone seems to watch (except we!). This documentary, depicting the survival of monkeys in the winter, was the title-trigger for screenwriter Maria Stankova. In an interview, she said we all are like monkeys in the winter: desperately trying to survive, no matter the price! But I like the line of one of the characters better: he said we're worse than monkeys - and more stupid - because they, at least, no matter what happens take care of their children.

I strongly recommend this film to anyone who has the chance to see it. It's not - only! :) - a patriotic drive, but also I consider this film, together with "Christmas Tree", a phenomenon that hasn't occured here quite some time. It's sincerely new and yet remains Bulgarian and humane. Although some of the acting is not so good, it is energetic and you can see they are all struggling, living and trying to make it alive. It is very personal acting for everyone, or so it seems to me.

If you liked Anders Thomas Jensen's film Adam's Apples, then this is a film from Denmark written by Anders Thomas Jensen and Susanne Bier (marking another collaboration between the two) should be right up your alley. Todd at Twitch from what I remember seemed to think it was the pinnacle of their collaborations. I'm seeing this in the next two weeks but having a chance to see it on the big screen with an audience is a chance I'd love to have someday. Your very lucky!